It’s probably not the first brand that comes to mind when you think of performance cars, but Volvo has a long history of creating meaner versions of the automaker’s models. The 850 R is a prime example of one of those sporty Swedes of the 1990s. A heavily modified example hits the highway in this video.
According to specs at the start of the clip, the 2.3-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine produces around 480 hp (358 kW) and 443 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque. Additionally, the powertrain has a muscular, growling sound. The red line seems to be around 7000 rpm. There is enough power to get the speedometer needle past the end of the gauge.
The 850 was an extremely important model for Volvo, especially in the United States. For much of the 1970s and 1980s, the marque’s American lineup consisted of the 200 and 700 series with motors driving the rear wheels. However, the 850 was launched with front-wheel drive, and later some markets outside of the United States got an all-wheel-drive variant, which was a first for the automaker.
The 850 also adopted a new transversely mounted straight-five engine, available in multiple displacements over the life of the model. The R model was the most powerful version to arrive developing up to 247 hp (184 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm).
There was also a wagon version of the 850. Volvo even took the boxy machine racing in the British Touring Car Championship in 1994. It wasn’t particularly successful but had fascinating looks for a competition machine.
The 850 nameplate lasted until the 1997 model year in the United States. After that, Volvo introduced a refreshed model which adopted the name S70 for the sedan and V70 for the wagon.
It’s probably not the first brand that comes to mind when you think of performance cars, but Volvo has a long history of creating meaner versions of the automaker’s models. The 850 R is a prime example of one of those sporty Swedes of the 1990s. A heavily modified example hits the highway in this video.
According to specs at the start of the clip, the 2.3-liter turbocharged five-cylinder engine produces around 480 hp (358 kW) and 443 pound-feet (600 Newton-meters) of torque. Additionally, the powertrain has a muscular, growling sound. The red line seems to be around 7000 rpm. There is enough power to get the speedometer needle past the end of the gauge.
The 850 was an extremely important model for Volvo, especially in the United States. For much of the 1970s and 1980s, the marque’s American lineup consisted of the 200 and 700 series with motors driving the rear wheels. However, the 850 was launched with front-wheel drive, and later some markets outside of the United States got an all-wheel-drive variant, which was a first for the automaker.
The 850 also adopted a new transversely mounted straight-five engine, available in multiple displacements over the life of the model. The R model was the most powerful version to arrive developing up to 247 hp (184 kW) and 258 lb-ft (350 Nm).
There was also a wagon version of the 850. Volvo even took the boxy machine racing in the British Touring Car Championship in 1994. It wasn’t particularly successful but had fascinating looks for a competition machine.
The 850 nameplate lasted until the 1997 model year in the United States. After that, Volvo introduced a refreshed model which adopted the name S70 for the sedan and V70 for the wagon.